As of now, the Jobs and Energy Bill is on its way to the governor’s desk to be signed into law. A few bad energy policies made it through, but many more were prevented. Find out what happened.
solar
Pollinator-friendly solar: everybody loves it
Minnesota’s pollinator-friendly solar standard has generated interest in states throughout the country and Fresh Energy played a key role helping the state of Maryland secure a similar policy.
Envisioning an all-electric economy
For 25 years, Fresh Energy has been working to transition to a clean energy system in the state. Increasingly we see that an “all-electric economy” may just be the answer.
New cost-effective, clean energy for Otter Tail Power customers
On March 16, 2017, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) approved Otter Tail Power Company’s new 15-year Resource Plan, affirming that additional clean energy investments are a good bet for the utility’s customers.
Missed opportunity for clean energy as gas plant bill moves forward
Today, Governor Dayton signed a bill into law that allows Xcel Energy to build a natural gas plant in Becker, Minnesota. Though Fresh Energy believes that the bill is a missed opportunity to pursue even greater investments in local clean energy sources like wind, solar, and energy efficiency, we are hopeful that Xcel will bring plans for the proposed plant to the Public Utilities Commission for careful review.
Minnesota leads on solar for pollinators and crops
2016 was the first year of Minnesota’s solar bloom — but there’s plenty more to come. While even more solar sites are planned to be built in the years ahead, tens of millions of native flowers and short-growing meadow grasses will be taking root under and around the panels. Look for black-eyed susans to develop faster than the rest, followed by purple prairie clover, partridge pea, butterfly weed, and more.
